Discussion Panels

Currently, this is a listing of our official discussion panels. Please check back regularly or subscribe to our RSS feed to know when more are added.

Have a suggestion for our line-up? We want to hear your ideas. So, email us and we'll see where it goes. Or, you can put your idea up on our Get Satisfaction page.

The Cry-Baby Superheroine: 'Sailor Moon' and Postbubble Japan

This panel begins at 1:00PM on Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Event Hall. Sailor Moon is the first postmodern and postbubble manga. In the talk, LaCure will place Sailor Moon in the context of the history of the female superheroine. As the creator of the first female superhero written by a woman for a female audience, Takeuchi both subverts the genre and also pays homage to its tropes. LaCure wants to show how much of the imagery of the manga comes from the Art Deco styles of the 1920's and 1930's and also draws heavily from Hollywood musicals such as those of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Finally, he would like to look at the anime and other adaptations, some of which completely overturn the intent of the Takeuchi graphic novel. If there is time, he will get into how the West approached the problems of translating both the manga and anime.

To Harajuku & Beyond: A Journey into Japanese Fashion

This panel begins at 3:15PM on Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Event Hall. "Kaos Koz-play will be holding an informative panel on Japanese Street dress with live models at this year's KAC! We'll give you the low-down on the most popular styles in Japan today, as seen throughout the streets of the Harajuku district, and show you how to incorporate these styles into your own. What exactly is Harajuku, you may ask? Join us to find out!" - description via Kadee of Kaos Koz-play

Art And Application Of Feng Shui Principle And The Use Of Witchcraft, Wizardry, Sorcery, And Occultism As A Defense Against The Dark Arts

This panel begins at 2:00PM on Saturday, Dec. 7 in the Event Hall. Mr. Michael Scheer of Yuki Pearl And Jade gives a panel on the Art And Application Of Feng Shui Principle And The Use Of Witchcraft, Wizardry, Sorcery, And Occultism As A Defense Against The Dark Arts. Live on-the-spot analysis of willing audience members will be given, for all to see and enjoy. Time permitting, Michael will briefly discuss Yang-Yin disparities seen in the 26 episode run of Fruits Basket.

CLAMP

This panel begins at 12:00PM on Friday, Dec. 5 in the Event Hall. CLAMP is Japan's foremost female manga team, and a huge hit in the west with manga such as Cardcaptor Sakura and Chobits. In this panel we'll discuss old favorites and their newest work, and get the latest news and updates on their projects. We'll also discuss CLAMP's impact on the manga scene in both the US and Japan.

Kazuya Minekura, Saiyuki, and Journey to the West

This panel begins at 1:00PM on Friday, Dec. 5 in the Event Hall. This panel will offer a brief introduction to Minekura's work before focusing on her hit manga Saiyuki, based on the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. We'll explore the inspiration for her work, and the similiarities and differences between the original work and the manga.

Boy's Love/Girl's Love

This panel begins at 10:00AM on Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Event Hall. One of the fastest-growing genres of manga, boy's love focuses on romantic relationships between males, while girl's love does the same with females. In this panel we'll discuss the reality of same-sex relationships today, as well as our favorite fictional relationships. We will have door prizes!